A Blue Book
by roomfortoo
Summary: Draco finds a curious blue book that keeps him sane during his fourth year, though his friends may argue it's doing the opposite. Meanwhile, Luna Lovegood is searching for her diary... One-shot.


From the corner of his eye, Draco spotted an unfamiliar blue book at the bottom of the stack that he had just brought from the library earlier that evening. Perhaps it drew his attention because it looked newer than the others or perhaps his Transfiguration essay was simply too grueling for his attention. Either way, the boy stood from his desk to inspect the book. As he opened the thick cover, a bright yellow bookmark fell to his feet. It was in the shape of a flower and had a bright green paper stem attached and when Draco picked it up, he realized curiously that it looked as though it had been handmade. He carried the book to his bed and read the first entry:

 _The Nargle watches,_

 _The Nargle waits,_

 _The Nargle sees,_

 _The Nargle takes._

The next morning, Draco joined Pansy at their table in Potions. He leaned forward with an elbow on the table and supported his heavy head in his hands, stifling a yawn.

"Draco, you look awful," Pansy observed. "Didn't you sleep at all last night?"

"Pansy, you're too sweet to me," He mumbled. Though he didn't raise his eyes to look at her, he could practically feel the girl rolling her eyes. "I slept. I just didn't sleep much."

"Why not?" She asked. "If this is about Potter being chosen for the tournament-"

"It's not," Draco snapped. "I couldn't care less about Potter. He won't last five minutes in the tournament."

"Well, what's wrong with you then?"

"Nothing," He said. He finally lifted his head, pursed his lips, and looked at her from the corner of his eyes as if he considered saying more. "Uh... Say, Pans, do you know what a Nargle is?"

"A _Nargle_?" Pansy repeated, looking at him as if he were crazy. " _No_. Where did you hear that from?"

"Nowhere. Forget I asked."

* * *

 _A butterbeer a day keeps the Nargles away, or so they say._

The book store was close to empty, thank Merlin. It wasn't often that students spent their Hogsmeade weekends in shops that sold anything that may remind them of the homework awaiting them back at the castle, and Draco truthfully couldn't remember a time that he had ever visited the book shop in the village. But, as the saying went, there was a first time for everything.

"Can I help you find something, son?" The owner asked from behind the counter, eyeing Draco just as he would eye any other teenage boy.

"Yes, actually. I believe you can," Draco said. He walked to the register, leaning over the counter as if he were about to share a secret. The owner took a step back, watching him oddly. "Do you have any copies of the Quibbler here?"

"Aren't you a tad old for fairy tales, boy? I sell books here, not garbage," The elder man answered. "You be on your way now, if you don't plan on buying something."

Though he wore a frown, Draco did as he was told and left the store, ignoring the grumpy mumbling of the owner as he left. No sooner did he start back on the trail to Hogwarts was he joined by Theodore Nott, who had gone through great lengths in attempt to get Draco's attention.

"Oi! Slow down! Where've you been, Mate?" Theodore asked, chewing loudly on something that sounded gummy and, to Draco's ears, disgusting. "We were waiting for you at The Three Broomsticks."

"I had something to do," He shrugged. "Hey, did you save those butterbeer caps like I asked?"

"Oh, yeah," The other boy said. After digging around in his pocket for a moment, he produced three caps and handed them off. "I got Goyle to give me his, too. Why did you say you needed them, again?"

"I didn't," Draco answered curtly.

* * *

 _I dream of a dragon, fighting a battle on the bandwagon. A blue bird flies overhead, singing a song for the dead._

"Look at her!" Blaise said in a hushed voice, leaning forward with his elbows on the table and his attention far from the open Potions book in front of him. Draco looked over his shoulder to follow his friend's gaze, and could only assume that he was speaking of the peculiar blonde girl who had just entered the library. "No shoes again. Surprise, surprise."

"Who is she?" Draco wondered.

"Luna Lovegood," Blaise answered, pulling a face as he watched the girl. " _Looney_ Lovegood, more like it. I have Herbology with her..." His eyes suddenly fell to his book and his voice became even lower as he whispered, "Merlin. She's coming over here." Draco peeked over his shoulder only to see that his friend was right; the odd girl had caught him staring and now she made her way over to the boys' table, holding a magazine close to her chest. He hardly had enough time to turn back to his work and act busy before she arrived.

"Hi Blaise," She said politely. It was almost a surprise to hear her voice, so melodic and light. "Hello Draco," She added, looking in the Malfoy boy's direction.

.

"Uh, hey Luna," Blaise returned, obviously intent on figuring out what the girl wanted so he could send her on her way. "Are you looking for something?"

If Luna was fazed at his aloofness, she hid it well. "Actually I am," She answered. "I'm afraid I've lost my diary. I've already looked everywhere else, so I thought perhaps I left it here..." Her eyes skimmed the table.

"You've lost your diary?" Draco asked, trying hard not to seem too curious about the matter. "What does it look like? Maybe I've seen it."

"It's blue," She said, acquiring a distracted look as she described it. "Dark blue. Very much like Ravenclaw's colors, I think, and it has a yellow bookmark inside of it, and-"

"Haven't seen it," Blaise interrupted. "Sorry, Luna."

"Have / _you_ / seen it, Draco?" She asked, turning to the blonde boy. Though he no longer met her eyes, he shook his head. Luna seemed disappointed but far from defeated. "Will you two return it to me if you find it? I'm beginning to fear that the Nargles got a hold of it. I haven't been wearing my butterbeer cap necklace lately..." She confided.

"If we see a blue book, you'll be the first to know," Blaise assured her curtly. A simple nod of agreement from Draco was enough of assurance to send the girl on to the next table, where the boys listened to her as she asked once more if anyone had spotted a blue book. When her attention seemed sufficiently shifted, Blaise whispered, "What the bloody hell is a Nargle?"

From the corner of his eye, Draco spotted the familiar blue book in the pile beside him, where it was shoved messily below his Potions and Transfiguration book. He cleared his throat as he tucked it deeper in the stack to hide its spine.

"They're thieves," He answered swiftly. "Hide in Mistletoe and..." He noticed Blaise watching him oddly. "Well, that's just what I've heard, at least..."

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Thank you all for reading! I know it's short and vague, but I hope you've enjoyed this small one-shot. Constructive criticism, feedback, and suggestions for anything else you would like me to write about are welcomed and highly appreciated!


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